A Simple Twist Of Fate
by yomomma222
Summary: What if Puck and Rachel hadn't, technically, broken up on the bleachers in 'Mash Up?


**This is just a short "What if?" that might make way for a series (time and life permitting) of other chapters later. How would things have gone had Puck and Rachel not 'broken up'?**

"Do you miss it?" Rachel questioned from behind Puck while he sat on the bleachers, sporting his patented scowl, and watching the football team practice.

"Hell, no," he answered honestly. Noah Puckerman didn't care about anything enough to miss it. However, the game was a good outlet for his anger and frustration so, naturally, all the progress he'd made with slowing down on bullying would have to pick back up to compensate for his inability to smash skulls in a socially acceptable manner.

She approached but sat behind him…obviously not a good sign and his defenses immediately went up. "I hope you didn't choose glee over football because of me."

"Why?" Puck asked but already knew the answer.

"Because, I don't think this relationship is going to work out."

He couldn't lie; it stung…maybe even more than he thought it should have coming from Rachel Berry, of all people. "That's cool. I was going to break up with you anyway."

"No, you weren't."

Then, in that split second before he could open his mouth to cement the breakup with an insult, Puck was able to fast forward years into the future to see a life with Rachel Berry beside him and a life without her. In the one where she was absent, he ended up as a career criminal, alternating between sharing a bunk bed in jail with a guy that liked to cuddle and living with his mother upon each of his subsequent releases. While he had no intention of doing anything major to get him landed in the pen for the long haul, he did have an ever developing plan to steal…get this…an ATM. He was pretty proud of that one and was surprised people didn't do it all the time for some fast cash.

His mind shifted to the alternative, dating a girl that would check up on every little thing he did, boss him around, and be disappointed if he succeeded in trying to fail but also be supportive if he failed at trying to succeed. Yeah, it was a 'cannondrum' (which would be awesome)…or, whatever, but it made sense to him.

True, Rachel Berry was controlling and stuck up but she wasn't anywhere near as self-centered as people liked to think. He saw proof of that when she was so understanding about him initially saying he would quit Glee to avoid receiving more slushie facials. She was caring; as evidenced by the way her slender little fingers combed through his hair in the bathroom sink and there was something about those big brown eyes when she stared up at him (she could probably get him to do, absolutely, anything with those eyes). With her guidance and encouragement, he had a shot at a significantly less troublesome future that had the potential to involve getting into the community college or maybe even a trade school.

He had to admit, when he walked through the doors after choosing Glee club, and saw the relief in her eyes (even though it was tainted by a flash of sadness that he wasn't Finn) there was a quickening of his pulse at knowing he'd made her happy...and he liked that feeling.

Then, there was Quinn; a chick that could have sex with him one minute (not that it only took one minute) then turn around and profess her love for Finn the next. Nothing he ever did was right in her eyes and he could totally see her being the type of wife that would nag and criticize her husband to death, " _You're lying in that coffin all wrong. God, you can't do anything right_." Yeah, Finn could keep that…but not his baby.

"What if we didn't break up?" he asked without looking back to keep her from seeing the hopefulness in his eyes.

"Let's be honest with ourselves, and each other. You want Quinn and I'm pretty sure everyone knows I want Finn. Our relationship was all just to make them jealous." She was pretty sure of that, anyway.

Again, it hurt. True, a small part of him wanted Quinn to see what a great boyfriend he could be but, more than that, there was a strong desire to be with a girl that would care more about him than Hudson. Unfortunately, he didn't accurately gauge Berry's level of like for the Jolly Green Giant but all Puck needed was time to win her over…wear her down with equal parts of charm and shirtlessness...well, he might put a little more weight into the shirtlessness. Go with your strengths, you know?

He inquired again, letting her draw her own conclusions, "Yeah…but, what if we didn't breakup?"

She pondered the question once more then clarified, "You mean, we stay together to make them jealous?"

"Something like that," he confirmed and turned to face her. "What do you say?"

Her eyes lit up, watching the field where Finn was likely doing something clumsy, and stretched her hand out to him with a grin. "You have a deal!"

Son of a bitch…he was a manipulation mastermind. In one question, he managed to keep a girl that was dead set on breaking up with him. Suddenly, the ATM seemed like small potatoes and he began developing a plan to take down Fort Knox. Then again, that was the old Noah Puckerman talking. The new Noah Puckerman was going to make Rachel Berry, and maybe even his mother, proud of him someday. He'd have to put the Fort Knox scheme on the back burner for when Rachel broke his heart years down the line and he had a badass relapse…or maybe give it to the Salvation Army or some other group that's always asking for money.

Yeah, maybe, she was only with him to make another dude jealous but, he'd hash out the details on that one with a three step process. Step one, she was still, technically, his girlfriend…so, check. Step two, he'd be the best pretend boyfriend any girl in the history of the planet ever had until she realized he was the one she wanted to see naked. Step three…well, he didn't really have a third step but, only jackholes have two step plans so, step three became 'And some other cool stuff'.

Ignoring the handshake she was aiming for, Puck leaned forward and kissed her instead, taking immediate advantage of their item status.

"Good idea," she commended once they separated then glanced over his shoulder to the football players.

"Did he see it?"

"I don't think so."

"Then we'll just have to do it until he does," Puck said with a feigned sense of obligation.

His hands went to either side of her face before his lips made contact with hers and she grasped the front of his shirt to pull him closer, wanting to commit fully to the role of 'Puck's Girlfriend'. Then, as their mouths moved frantically together, she wondered what else she'd have to do to make a convincing girlfriend to a 'bad boy'. Buying a leather jacket was at the top of her list…and she definitely had to start exuding a smidge of badassery herself…then, the list was put on hold because she became completely immersed in the kiss, the warmth of his hands on her skin, and the scent of his cologne.

She wasn't sure who ended the display of affection (or why she would have wanted it to stop at all) but, the football field was empty by the time they'd separated. Last she checked, practice was an hour and she'd arrived right at the beginning of it. Had she really been making out with Puck for over an hour and not realized it? He drove her home where they proceeded to kiss a little more in her driveway, 'Just in case Finn or Quinn drives by' (her suggestion).

That night, lying in bed, Rachel stared at her ceiling and did a serious reevaluation of her situation. She thought back to three-thirty in the choir room the day before, where she watched the door after everyone else had given up on any of the football players crossing the threshold. Then, Mike and the other guy (she was really going to have to make a point of finding out his name), came in and, again, no one else had hope. Rachel was waiting for Finn, certain he'd do the right thing, but, instead, Puck walked in. While she was disappointed that it wasn't who she expected, at the same time, she was elated that a boy had chosen her.

She liked Finn but, why? What was it about him that was so appealing? He joined Glee club and was a talented singer but, when it came down to it, he chose popularity over his real friends. So, she shot out of bed to make an emergency Venn diagram to compare him to Puck, already knowing which boy would win. While they met in the middle on a lot of things (tall, handsome, funny, and musically inclined), only one of them had several points listed exclusively in their circle, 'Knows what kind of slushie I like', 'Stepped up as a male lead', 'Sang to me', 'Quit football for Glee', 'Mohawk'. Rachel wasn't sure why that became a factor but, she'd be lying if she said it didn't do something for her.

Suddenly, she found herself back at her original question; she liked Finn but, why? Then it hit her, there was no reason because he wasn't worth it. The boy who was worth it, the one she really wanted, was Noah Puckerman and damn it if she didn't agree to pretend to be his girlfriend to help him win the heart of another.

But…she was Rachel Berry. Rachel Berry was no quitter and, right then and there, she put a picture of Noah Puckerman on her vision board. She would use her proximity to him to her advantage and make him jealous by pretending to use him to make Finn jealous. It was a tangled web but, if anyone could weave it, Rachel Berry could.


End file.
